Article transfer mechanism



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United States Patent ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANISM William I. MacCurdy, Johnstown, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 6, 1955, Serial No. 513,301

3 Claims. (Cl. 198-20) This invention relates to an improved device for transferring articles from a first conveyor to a second traveling at a right angle to the first.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved transferring device which with a single motion lifts an article off a first conveyor and positions it above a second conveyor for deposition on the latter.

A further object is to provide an improved transferring device which has a single carriage mounted for limited vertical and horizontal movements to lift an article and transfer it between conveyors, and a single motivating means for effecting these movements.

In accomplishing these "and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pair of conveyors equipped with a transferring device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view with the carriage projected;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view with the carriage retracted; and

Figure 4 is a vertical section on line IV-IV of Figure 2.

The drawings show somewhat schematically first and second endless conveyors and 12 extending at right angles to each other and each formed of transversely spaced apart strands. Articles A, for example coils of steel strip, arrive on the upper flight of the first conveyor and are to be transferred to the second. To facilitate such transfer the upper or carrying flight of the second conveyor is a few inches lower than that of the first.

The transferring device of my invention comprises a pair of transversely spaced apart track members 13 which are of modified I-beam cross section and are supported below the carrying flight of conveyor 10 on cross ties 14 (Figure 4). A carriage 15 is mounted on pairs of front and back wheels 16 and 17 which ride within said track members. An important feature of my invention is that the opposed lower flanges of the two track members carry rails 18 which have front and back notches 19 and 20 longitudinally spaced apart the same distance as the spacing between the wheels 16 and 17 (Figure 2). Preferably the portions of the rail on each side of the front notch 19 are formed as separately replaceable sections. The notches have upwardly sloping front surfaces 21 which lead to the main body portion of each rail. The upper flange of each track member 13 carries a wear strip 22 which acts as a stabilizing plate and against which the upper edges of the wheels 16 and 17 can ride.

The carriage 15 has a section 23 sloping upwardly from that to which the wheels are journaled and a section 24 extending horizontally from section 23. The upper face of section 24 carries a narrow horizontal platform 25 adapted to be retracted between the strands of conveyor 10 and below the carrying flight thereof, as shown in Figure 3, or to project over conveyor 12, as shown in Fig- 2,883,031 Patented Apr. 21, 19 59 ure 2. The carriage is motivated by a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 26, which is mounted on trunnions 27 on the upper faces of the track members 13. The cylin- The carriage 15 normally occupies a retracted position in which its wheels 16 and 17 lie within the notches 19 and 20 and its platform 25 is spaced slightly below the carrying flight of conveyor 10 (Figure 3). When this conveyor brings an article A to a position over the platform, cylinder 26 is actuated to project the carriage. The wheels 16 and 17 first ride up the sloping surfaces 21 to elevate the carriage and platform and thus lift the article off the conveyor 10. Continued motion of the carriage projects the platform and article horizontally over the conveyor 12 (Figure 2). It is seen that both movements needed both to lift the article and carry it from conveyor 10 to a position overlying conveyor 12 are efiected with a single motion produced by a single motivating means.

An elevator 30 is mounted between the strands of conveyor 12 and includes a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 31. The elevator has a bifurcated head 32 which is adapted to receive the projected platform 25 within its bifurcation. The portions of the head on each side of the bifurcation are adapted to pick up the article A from the platform and lift it slightly so that carriage 15 can be retracted. Lowering the elevator after the carriage is retracted deposits the article on conveyor 12.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my invention aifords an especially simple device for transferring articles between conveyors all in a single motion. The device has the further advantage that it can be installed on existing conveyors without otherwise altering their structure.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination, with a first conveyor and a second conveyor adapted to travel at right angles to each other, of a device for transferring an article from said first conveyor to a position overlying said second conveyor comprising at track fixed beneath the carrying flight of said first conveyor and providing opposed upper and lower bearing surfaces, a carriage having front and back wheels riding between said surfaces and movably supporting the carriage, said track defining a horizontal path of movement for said carriage a short portion only of which has a vertical component, a single motivating means for effecting both horizontal and vertical movements of said carriage, said carriage having a section located beneath the carrying flight of said first conveyor and to which said wheels are journalcd and an overhang extending upwardly and outwardly from said section, and a platform on said overhang, said carriage having a retracted position in which said overhang and said platform lie beneath the carrying flight of said first conveyor and a projected position in which said overhang extends beyond the end of said first conveyor and said platform overlies said second conveyor, and an elevator mounted under the carrying flight of said second conveyor for picking up an article from said platform when said carriage is projected and depositing it on said second conveyor after said carriage is retracted.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the lower bearing surface has notches for receiving said wheels when said carriage is retracted, upwardly sloping sections which extend from said notches and along which said wheels ride to produce a vertical component References Cited in the file of this patent in movement of said carriage and horizontal sections ex- UNITED STATES PATENTS tending from sald sloping sections. i a

3; A combinationasdefined in claim 1 wherein said' 711,008 Scott 1902 caniage has an upwardly: sloping sectionconnecting-said 5 2,057,367 Cone 1936 first; named section and said overhang,and-said'motive 2,476,380 Manke July 191 1949 meansincludes a double-acting! fluid pressure cylinder piv- 2,678,715 Boehm --'-V--'-- May 1954 oted tosaid track, a piston. and piston rod mounted in 7 said cylinder for reciprocable movement, and means piv- FOREIGN PATENTS otallyconnectingsaid piston rod to said sloping section. 10 585,778 Great Britain Feb. 24, 1947 

